Strength of community showing

For a while, the general attitude conveyed by some people regarding Standish Max was that no matter what the community did, it wouldn’t matter. The decision was sealed.

It looks like some people may be enjoying a foot sandwich after the news that the prison closure date has been pushed back to October.

Not to forget the reason why it is being pushed back – the fact that it may be filled with California prisoners to help out with that state’s overcrowding and since its cheaper to house inmates in Michigan than in California, and more time is needed for a detailed plan to be worked out.

But one shouldn’t downplay the pressure the Standish area and Arenac County has put on the Governor and Department of Corrections – through protests and rallies, letters and phone calls.

Because if the community didn’t care, neither would they, and the naysayers who thought the prison was on its way to deterioration would be right.